Ezekiel 39:11

"so that they will take no wood out of the field, and not cut down any out of the forests; for they will make fires with the weapons. They will plunder those who plundered them, and rob those who robbed them,” says the Lord GOD."

Key Reflection

Ezekiel 39:11 describes a scene of destruction where invaders—likely referring to Gog and Magog—use the weapons they have seized from their victims as fuel for fires, rather than gathering wood in the fields or cutting it from forests. This act symbolizes the complete devastation of the enemy and the thoroughness of God’s judgment. The cultural context reflects a first-century Jewish understanding of warfare and resource management, where fire was both a destructive force and a practical necessity, highlighting the utter defeat of the attackers by divine intervention.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The prophet pictures to himself some imaginary valley (compareZechariah 14:5) at the “east of the sea,” the Dead Sea, a place frightful in its physical character, and admonitory of past judgments. He calls it “the valley of the passengers” (or, passers-by), because they who there lie buried were but as a passing cloud. InEzekiel 39:11-15there is a play upon words - there were “passengers” to be buried, “passengers” to walk over their graves, “passengers” to bury them; (or, a play upon the treble meaning of passing in (invading), passing by, and passing through.) Stop the noses -The word thus rendered occurs only once more in ScriptureDeuteronomy 25:4where it is rendered muzzle.

More from Ezekiel 39

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